An estimated twelve million tonnes of discarded plastic are finding their way into oceans every year causing damage to precious marine ecosystems and habitats. Many species mistake plastic for prey and seabirds, dolphins, whales, fish, and invertebrates are all known to ingest plastic, leading to suffocation and starvation. Birds, seals, and fish also become entangled in discarded fishing gear and plastic packaging.
The wildlife charity is appealing for donations to fund work such as clearing up pollution on the shorelines at Chesil and Kimmeridge, carrying out surveys to capture essential seashore data, monitoring the effects of pollution on seals and other wildlife, and influencing future marine policies and local decision-making. In addition, the charity aims to inspire more people of all ages and backgrounds to care about the plight of marine wildlife by reducing their use of single-use plastics or to become a volunteer to help with the work.
In Dorset, there are 157 marine species of conservation concern. Many species such as common skate, sturgeon and angel shark are now rarely seen or gone altogether. Lyme Bay is known for its tidal fronts that create a body of nutrient-rich water that promotes plankton growth which attracts fish, seabirds, harbour porpoise, common dolphin as well as white-beaked dolphin. Poole Harbour's unique natural environment with its extensive saltmarshes and mudflats provides vital feeding and breeding opportunities for numerous rare and endangered bird species such as avocet, spoonbill, and black-tailed godwit. Protecting these incredibly precious places and their ecosystem processes is now critical, with a real risk of losing many species entirely.
Brian Bleese, Chief Executive said, "Dorset's marine environment is as rich and diverse as our terrestrial environment, but most marine wildlife is unseen, and the negative impact of human activity goes unnoticed. Sadly, marine habitats and biodiversity are declining rapidly, and pollution presents one of the biggest threats to marine wildlife. As a local charity, we firmly believe that the place to start addressing the global issues of climate change and ecological decline is right here on our own patch. Healthy seas contribute so much to our quality of life and play a vital part in addressing the climate crisis, as they capture and store more carbon than forests. We need your help - please donate to the Save Our Wild Seas appeal and help protect Dorset's precious marine wildlife."
To donate to this important project and find out more, visit here.
